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The Biomechanical Function of the Menisci

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Book cover The Menisci

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the biomechanical function of the medial and lateral menisci, which serve a variety of functions in the knee due to their viscoelastic material properties and tissue composition. They have a large collagenous component mainly in the form of radial tie fibres and circumferential collagenous bundles. Tie fibres help to anchor the stronger circumferential fibres and resist radial strains, whereas the circumferential fibres act primarily to distribute and resist tensile strains. Furthermore, menisci maintain their shape under compressive loads due to their large water component and low permeability. This allows for desirable load distribution within the knee joint to achieve congruency between the femur and tibia, resulting in increased contact areas and lower contact stresses on articular cartilage. The shape and attachments of the menisci allow unique mobility throughout a normal range of knee motion, which aid in joint stability and accommodates the large range of motion at the knee joint. Additional functions include lubrication, nutrition, and proprioception.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, 3M Centre, Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada

    Scott Caterine MSc, Maddison Hourigan MSc & Alan Getgood MPhil, MD, FRCS(Tr&Orth)

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  1. Scott Caterine MSc
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  2. Maddison Hourigan MSc
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  3. Alan Getgood MPhil, MD, FRCS(Tr&Orth)
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Correspondence to Alan Getgood MPhil, MD, FRCS(Tr&Orth) .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Steadman Philippon Research Institute, Vail, Colorado, USA

    Robert F. LaPrade

  2. University of Minnesota Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Elizabeth A. Arendt

  3. University of Western Ontario Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, London, Ontario, Canada

    Alan Getgood

  4. The Orthopaedic Center, P.A., Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Scott C. Faucett

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Caterine, S., Hourigan, M., Getgood, A. (2017). The Biomechanical Function of the Menisci. In: LaPrade, R., Arendt, E., Getgood, A., Faucett, S. (eds) The Menisci. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53792-3_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53792-3_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-53792-3

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